my short report from Fusion Fest and some other general thoughts

I wanted to start writing a report concerning Fusion festival since 3 days now , but I was still totally exhausted , tired, traveling back to the south. I will try to give an overview of Fusion Festival, what questions came up to my mind afterwards about the existing party scene as well as rave today. Im not expecting from myself now ,to extend on a political text ,analysis about the aim concerns of ir , nether putting efforts to reflect at the whole “alternative” concept of Fusion , something like that it needs time and long discussions with all my mates who joined the festival. In the other hand I shouldnt want as well to write just that everything was fine , yeah awesome. (but ok sure Fusion is a good experience for everyone.)

* A description briefly about the festival

Fusion is taking place since 1997 , it remains the biggest alternative festival in Germany or in other words Fusion is a “holiday communism”. 5 days , 12 stages is enough to get totally nostalgic when you live the festival. It takes place at an old soviet embassy approximately 200klm away from Berlin. The location easily reminds you something from the good days of the huge festivals during 90s. People from all around Germany and other countries traveled for some days party. Some of the people especially from Berlin usually join every year as far as I know at least. I arrived there already from the first day of the festival , we manage to set a tent and afterwards went to the main stage.

* main stage

The main stage was incredibly fabulous the opening day. A nice atmosphere , you should also check the youtube video post at the insti2te. Everybody was dancing , seemed everyone knew who is playing , the name of the track etc. That was impressive of course, nice people , nice music , perfect lights and a techno big tower in the middle. Unfortunately I didnt get the same impression for the rest of the days there. For instance on Saturday , the day that a big mass of people arrived in the fest (only for one night probably). It was over crowed , sometimes wasnt really possible to dance . An other point was the people were hmm , a bit alienated. They were not even smiling to each other ,something totally different than some other smaller stages. It was like beiing in the middle of nowhere , with unknown people , who are not even help full when someone was falling down , had an accident , was really drunk or whatever…

* cubes stage

The stage I liked the most , I guess. It was decoraded with nice cube iron constractions around the dancefloor (you can also look at the pics of Drofnothing). Minimal techno , house , electro djs were playing all days and nights good stuff , the people were friendly , good dancers etc.

* a stage near to the paradize bar (the main bar? of the festival)

A back yard something like a not announced stage. There sometimes was even better than my favorite cubes. As far as I know it wasnt announced and only faces I know from berlin were often hanging around there. Usually the line up was good electro stuff , some drum n bass and many more genres of every kind.

Well… I cant really write for every stage because all of them together were 12. On the rest of the stages you could find a huge diversity of artists and good sounds as well , such as drum n bass , post rock , dubstep even sometimes jungle and electro bands etc.

* food

All around the festival you could find several food wagons. All of them were selling vegetarian and vegan food such as the wagon burger place , a popular vegan burger. I really liked that wasnt really a place that you could buy meat , I suppose it wasnt tolerated by the organized group of the fest. Generally the food was cheap comparing at least with other festivals

political barrios and workshops.

Except the red communist and antifa flags , some german radical left groups from around Germany were spreading information for different political campaigns or organized workshops. People from media-spree , antifa as well as people who were organizing a couple of workshops concerning gender discrimination problems , helping people who faced sexism or homophobia during the festival and beyond.

* Kino

Several good movies projected at the kino space. One that finally didnt manage to go was the “Berlin calling”

* exhibitions

A lot of exhibitions , theatre performances took place at the “cazino” space and the theatre

some general thoughts about Fusion

Always when I am attending in an alternative festival specifically the last years , i really dont like the environment of the “consuming paradize” , alianation and extreme ignorance?? of the people. Sometimes I was annoyed by these who were throwing bottles , trash all around , making a mess , expecting from others to clean the space afterwards. Finally I attend to believe that it is impossible to create anywhere (at least inside the European states of control) relations based in equality , solidarity and without discrimination.At least not yet. Everything happens for money , everybody accepts that , only a short minority stands against. The relation also of organizers/party consumers , it remains something that only few people are reflecting as well. No questions about autonomy , horizontality or even further discussing for alternatives of life ways. Self management was missing once more. I dont wanna say that it is only the problem of the organizer committee. First “We” are also responsible for what kind of situations wanna build. when some are realizing that , the repression is coming. I think it is time to resist against it again. It is time for the sounds of resistance to occupy the soundsystem again :))

As an ending point I would like to express my full Solidarity with the TEKNIVALS , free parades in France and all around the world…